END FEMICIDE: Kenya's Police Forms New Unit Against Recent Murders

END FEMICIDE: Kenya’s Police Forms New Unit Against Recent Murders

The Directorate of Criminal Investigation’s (DCI) Homicide Unit has relocated to a new office building to better address the country’s escalating murder rate.

This occurred as authorities said they had formed a new sub-unit to investigate all old and unsolved murder cases.

The Cold Case Unit will be part of the Homicide Unit, whose goal is to solve all pending murder cases.

“The Cold Case Unit is a new kid in the block and its focus will be on all old cases. We hope to ensure all these cases are solved, revived or actively investigated,” said an official who was aware of the plans.

On Wednesday and Thursday, the Homicide Unit was relocated from the DCI headquarters on Kiambu Road to a new office building in the Nairobi Area Regional Headquarters near the Integrity Centre.

IG KANJA AND HIS DEPUTIES MAKE A SURPRISE VISIT TO THE RAPID DEPLOYMENT UNIT HEADQUARTERS pic.twitter.com/xyUVm1IABc
— National Police Service-Kenya (@NPSOfficial_KE) November 27, 2024

The team took up the former Flying Squad offices and a laboratory that were in use when the DCI moved to its Headquarters along Kiambu Road.

They are anticipated to be a fully operational unit, similar to the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU).

This came after a meeting between the Inspector General of Police and his deputies: Eliud Lagat of Kenya Police, Gilbert Masengeli of the Administration Police Service, and DCI Mohamed Amin.

Amin acknowledged they had shifted the Homicide Unit to Nairobi Area Regional Offices to enable them to focus on all instances reported.

“We receive almost eight murder cases daily and this requires serious focus to solve. We have moved them to ensure they have all needed resources to focus on them,” he said.

Officials indicated that plans are ongoing to open regional Homicide Unit offices, and Kanja will officially open the new block and make the announcements.

Amin stated that the unit will receive an additional 50 policemen to improve its operations.

He also stated that a dedicated Missing Persons Unit (MPU) had been established to deal with the cases reported.

The squad will report to Martin Nyuguto, the director of the Homicide squad.

“We urge anyone with a missing case to report to police. They can either visit the Nairobi Area or any other office and report it.”

While attempting to resolve missing persons situations, unit officers will communicate with police stations, hospitals, and mortuaries.

They will also communicate with prison officials as part of their efforts, according to Amin.

“All relevant agencies have been informed on what to do in case such cases are reported,” said Amin.

In order to solve the cases, the teams collaborate with other police units.

Other special units under DCI include the Cyber Crime Unit, the Special Support Unit (SSU), and the Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau (CRIB), which conducts intelligence-driven operations.

Others include the Ballistics, Scenes of Crime, Principal Crime Registrar, Crime Intelligence Unit, and Homicide Lab Units for DNA, Toxicology, Chemistry, and Biology.

Kanja claims there has been a modest uptick in murder cases in recent months.

He stated that a comparable review of murder cases recorded from August to October for the years 2022-24 shows a small increase.

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In 2024, 339 murder cases were reported, compared to 336 in 2023 and 341 in 2022.

In 2022, there were 3,056 homicide cases, compared to 3,281 in 2021, 3,111 in 2020, 2,971 in 2019, and 2,856 in 2018.

According to the police chief, in the majority of the cases recorded, the police had previously conducted investigations, identified those responsible for the murders of young girls and women, and arraigned them in court.

“Gender Desks at police stations nationwide are on high alert to deal swiftly with any cases of gender-based violence,” the officer in charge said.

END FEMICIDE: Kenya’s Police Forms New Unit Against Recent Murders